Preface Environmental science is an interdisciplinary field. Because environmental disharmonies occur as a result of the interaction between humans and the natural world, we must include both when seeking solutions to environmental problems. It is important to have a historical perspective, appreciate economic and political realities, recognize the role of different social experiences and ethical backgrounds, and integrate these with the science that describes the natural world and how we affect it. Environmental Science: A Study of Interrelationships incorporates all of these sources of information when discussing any environmental issue. Furthermore, the authors have endeavored to present a balanced view of issues, diligently avoiding personal biases and fashionable philosophies. Environmental Science: A Study of Interrelationships is intended as a text for a one-semester, introductory course for students with a wide variety of career goals. They will find it interesting and informative. The central theme is interrelated-ness. No text of this nature can cover all issues in depth. What we have done is to identify major issues and give appropriate examples that illustrate the complex interactions that are characteristic of all environmental problems. There are many facts--presented in charts, graphs, and figures--that help to illustrate the scope of environmental issues. However, this is not the core of the text, since the facts will change. Organization and Content This book is divided into five parts and twenty chapters. It is organized to provide an even, logical flow of concepts and to provide clear illustrations of the major environmental issues of today. Part 1 establishes the theme of the book--in chapter 1--by looking at the kinds of environmental issues typical of different regions of North America. In each region, the specific issues selected involve scientific, social, political, and economic components typical of environmental problems. Chapter 2 focuses on the philosophical base needed to examine environmental issues by discussing various ethical and moral stands that shape how people approach environmental issues. Chapter 3 introduces economic issues and the concept of risk analysis. Both of these topics will be brought up at several points later in the text. Part 2 provides an understanding of the ecological principles that are basic to organism interactions and the flow of matter and energy in ecosystems. The nature of food chains and how they affect the flow of matter and energy are discussed. Other topics included are the efficiency of energy flow through ecosystems, the intricacies of organism-to-organism interaction, and the creative role of natural selection in shaping ecological relationships. Principles of population structure and organization are also developed in this section, with particular attention to the implications of these principles to growth and impact of human populations. Part 3 focuses on energy. A major emphasis is on the historically important, nonrenewable fossil fuels that have stimulated economic success of the developed economies of the world. Renewable sources of energy are discussed, but with the recognition that they currently are a small part of the world energy picture. Weapons production and nuclear power plants use enormous amounts of energy that can be released from the nucleus of the atom. Both of these uses have caused fear among the public related to the dangers of radiation and the adequacy of waste disposal. These issues are discussed in this section. Part 4 emphasizes the impact of human activity on natural ecosystems. As human populations grow, and technology changes, the magnitude of human actions becomes more apparent. The natural ecosystems on land and water are modified to meet human needs. The heavy use of pesticides in agriculture is discussed in this section. Part 5 deals with the major types of pollution. Pollution affects the health and welfare of humans and other organisms. Air pollution, solid waste, and hazardous and toxic substances are discussed in this section. The cost of pollution cannot always be measured in financial terms but may be reflected in the mental and physical health of the populace. Ultimately, governments must address environmental concerns and develop policy to address the concerns. Increasingly, the concerns are international in scope and require negotiations between governments with very different economic conditions and concerns. New to this Edition 1. The text has been edited throughout and rewritten where needed to include the most recent data and ways of thinking about environmental issues. 2. Many new illustrations were developed and many others were modified to improve their ability to convey information. 3. Several chapters have been substantially revised: Chapter 3, Risk and Cost: Elements of Decision Making, has been moved near the front of the text. Since economics and risk are integral parts of many kinds of environmental discussions, several reviewers have suggested that this discussion should appear early in the text. This chapter includes expanded coverage of market-based instruments for addressing environmental issues and additional material on the concept of sustainability. Chapter 4, Interrelated Scientific Principles, has been substantially rewritten. The section on the scientific method was rewritten, the concepts of entropy and pH were expanded, and a new table was added that describes the various subunits of matter. Chapter 5, Interactions: Environment and Organisms, was rewritten to include significantly more material on the concepts of evolution and natural selection and how evolution relates to what is seen in ecosystems. The material on nutrient cycles was extensively rewritten and several boxed readings have been incorporated into the text to provide a better flow of ideas. Chapter 12, Human Impact on Resources and Ecosystems, was substantially reorganized with more meaningful headings. The material on minerals has been reduced and the topic of speciation has been moved to chapter 5. Chapter 13, Land-Use Planning, was completely rewritten with expanded sections on and-use planning principles, the causes and problems associated with urban sprawl, and redevelopment of inner cities. Chapter 17, Air Quality Issues, was substantially rewritten with expanded coverage of climate change and its effects, as well as steps that can be taken to reduce human impact on the global climate. 4. Many new topics or boxed readings have also been added, or have replaced previous readings: Chapter 1 has new material on the harp seal hunting, and a new Environmental Close-Up on forest management. Chapter 2 has expanded coverage of the topic of environmental justice and a new environmental Close-up on illegal trade in rare species. Chapter 3 has a new Global Perspective--Wombats and the Australian Stock Exchange and much new information on market approaches to managing environmental problems. Chapter 4 has new material on subunits of matter, and an expanded discussion of pH and of latent heat and sensible heat. Chapter 5 has a new section on evolution and natural selection that includes discussion of evolutionary patterns and coevolution, and includes several new examples. A new section on keystone species was added. Chapter 8 has new material on total fertility rate and on the importance of breastfeeding in population control. Additional material was also added on India as a major force in human population growth. Chapter 9 has expanded coverage of OPEC, energy development in China, and a new Environmental Close-Up on hybrid vehicles. Chapter 10 has new material on the forces that cause rising fuel prices, the potential for energy conservation, and expanded wind energy and biomass conversion technologies. The status of the Three Gorges Dam in China has also been updated. Chapter 12 contains a new Issues and Analysis case study dealing with the use of fire as a forest management tool, and a new figure on the impact of technology on natural systems. Chapter 13 has major new sections on land-use planning principles, the cause and consequences of urban sprawl, and a new figure related to flooding. Chapter 15 has added material on the efforts of the World Wildlife Fund to ban DDT use worldwide. The topics of precision agriculture and the controversy surrounding the use of genetically modified crops are also introduced. Chapter 17 has increased coverage of climate change and its impacts, and a new section that deals with strategies for addressing climate change. Chapter 19 has a new Environmental Close-Up on computers a hazardous waste problem. There is also expanded coverage of pollution prevention and inter-national awareness of hazardous wastes as a problem. Chapter 20 has a new section on the cyanide poisoning incident on the Danube River. In addition, there is expanded coverage of current environmental policy and environmental security. Useful Ancillaries 1. An Instructor's Manual accompanies the text and includes chapter outlines, objectives, key terms, a range of test and discussion questions, suggestions for demonstrations, and suggestions for audiovisual materials and other teaching aids. 2. A set of one hundred transparencies is also available to users of the text. The transparencies duplicate text figures that clarify essential ecological, political, economic, social, and historical concepts. 3.Computerized Testing Software allows for easy test generation using the questions found in the printed test bank. 4. The Environmental Science Visual Resource Library (VRL) is a dual platform CD-ROM that allows the user to search with key words or terms and access hundreds of images to illustrate classroom lectures, with just the click of a mouse. It contains images from four McGraw-Hill textbooks and over 400 additional photographs. 5. Visit our comprehensive online learning center at http://www.mhhe.com/environmentalscience/ and discover a variety of valuable resources for both instructor and student. Examples include chapter-by-chapter Internet links (updated regularly) that correspond to each chapter, laboratory exercises, case studies, classroom activities, concept mapping exercises, current global environmental events in the news, practice quizzing, career information, and more. 6. Available on CD-Rom, or accessed via the Online Learning Center, the Environmental Science Essential Study Partner is a complete, interactive study tool offering animations and learning activities to help students understand complex environmental science concepts. This valuable resource also includes self-quizzing to help students review each topic and provides hyperlinks to tutorial sections for further review. 7.BioCourse.com is an electronic meeting place for students and instructors. Its breadth and depth goes beyond our Online Learning Centers to offer six major areas of up-to-date and relevant information: Faculty Club, Student Center, News Briefing Room, BioLabs, Lifelong Learning Warehouse, and R & D Center. Related Titles Field and Laboratory Exercises in Environmental Science ISBN = 0-07-0290913-7 This lab manual provides hands-on experiences that are relevant, easy to understand, and applicable to students' lives. The experiments are designed to be concise, unique, inexpensive, and easily tailored to any course. Online Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Environmental Issues ISBN = 0-07-243097-4 www.dushkin.com/online This debate-style reader is designed to introduce one to controversies in environmental policy and science, and reflects a variety of viewpoints staged as "pro" and "con" debates. Issues are organized around four core areas: general philosophical and political issues, the environment and technology, disposing of wastes, and the environment and the future. Annual Editions: Environment 01/02 ISBN = 0-07-243359-0 www.dushkin.com/online A compilation of current articles from such sources as World Watch, Audubon, The Atlantic Monthly, and Scientific American, this text explores the global environment, the world's population, energy, the biosphere, natural resources, and pollution. Sources: Notable Selections in Environmental Studies ISBN = 0-07-303186-0 www.dushkin.com/online This volume brings together primary source selections of enduring intellectual value--classic articles, book excerpts, and research studies that have shaped environmental studies and our contemporary understanding of it. You Can Make a Difference: Be Environmentally Responsible ISBN = 0-07-292416-0 This book is organized around the three parts of the biosphere: land, water, and air. Acknowledgements The production of a textbook requires a dedicated team of professionals who provide guidance, criticism, and encouragement. It is also important to have open communication and dialog in order to deal with the many issues that arise during the development and production of a text. Therefore we would like to thank Marge Kemp, Kathy Loewenberg, Peggy Selle, Jane Stembridge, Jamie O'Neal, and LouAnn Wilson for their critiques and kindnesses. We would also like to acknowledge our many colleagues who have reviewed all or part of Environmental Science: A Study of Interrelationships. Their valuable input has contributed significantly to the quality of this text book. Ghulam Aasef Kaskaskia College Thomas J. Algeo University of Cincinnati John Vincent Aliff Georgia Perimeter College Julius Alker Central Florida Community College Margaret M. Avard Southeastern Oklahoma State University Robert M. Barry Palm Beach Community College R. P. Benard American International College William B. N. Berry University of California, Berkeley Patricia J. Beyer Bloomsburg University Deborah Bird Pima Community College Andrew David Bixler Chaffey College Del Blackburn Clark College Dorothy Boorse Gordon College Richard A. Boutwell Missouri Western State College | 
2002 McGraw-Hill Higher Education